Simha means Lion andAdri or Achala means Hill Simha+Achala= simhachala Simha+Adri= Simhadri (Lion Hills). Atop the hill is a famous temple said to be the abode of Varaha
Narasimha Swami, and hence the hill itself is called (nara) simhachalam. The
temple is situated (13km) in the city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

Significance

It is one of the
eighteen "Naarasimha Kshetras" i.e. shrines ofLord
Narasimhain India. The main deity inside the temple sanctorum gives
"nijaroopa darshan" (holy appearance in true form) for only 12 hours
in a year i.e. onAkshaya
Tritiyaday, the rest of the time the deity is covered withSandalwoodpaste. The darshan described as 'Chandana yatra' or
'Chandanotsavam' falls every year inVaisakhamasa (May).

Simhachala Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha
Swami Temple History

It has Sri
VarahalakshmiNarasimhaSwamy as the presiding deity. The deity at Simhachalam, the
lion-man incarnation of Lord Mahavishnu is usually covered with sandalwood
paste. The original shape of the deity in thetribhangaposture has two hands with the head of a lion on a human
torso. An inscription dated as far back as 1098 AD of theCholaKing Kuloththunga provides some clue as to its antiquity.
Another inscription shows a Queen of theEastern
GangaofKalinga(ancientOrissa) (1137-56
AD) covering the image with gold while a third inscription says the eastern
Ganga King of Orissa, Narasimha Deva, built the main/central shrine in 1267
A.D. With more than 252 inscriptions inOriyaandTelugudescribing the antecedents of the temple, it is a
historically important monument.

Sri Krishna Deva Rayaafter defeating theGajapatiruler ofOrissaGajapati Prataparudra Dev visited the
shrine twice in 1516 AD and 1519 AD and offered numerous villages for
maintenance of bhogam (worship) along with valuable jewellery of which an
emerald necklace is still in the temple. For the last three centuries the royal
family ofVizianagaram, "ThePusapatiGajapathi's" have been the
temple's trustees.

Legend of Simhachala Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swami

Hiranyakasipuwas aRakshasaking. He was in fact one ofVishnu's
Dwarapalakas or gate keepers inVaikuntha,Jaya
and Vijaya. They had to take birth in the mortal
world thrice because of a curse given bySanaka,
Sanandana, Sanathana and Sanathkumara, who were not
allowed to take darshan of Mahavishnu by them. The other palaka was born as his
brother Hiranyaaksha.

Hiranyakasipu wanted
to become immortal and hence performed austerities (tapasya) to propitiate Lord
Brahma. However, Lord Brahma said that was not possible so Hiranyakasipu asked
Lord Brahma to grant him a boon so that he could not be killed by any animal or
a man neither in the morning nor in the night, by any weapons, neither in sky
nor on the earth.

Hiranyakasipu wanted
the entire world to worship him. But, Prahalada, his son, was a devotee of Lord
Narayana and always expressed his bhakti towards Him. In spite of warning him
several times, Hiranyakasipu could not alter Prahlada's devotion.

This made
Hiranyakasipu angry and he made numerous attempts to get Prahlada killed. One
of them was to throw him off the top of a mountain. However, Vishnu rescued him
by moving the mountain and made a small path for Prahaladha. It is said that in
the place where the Lord stood to protect Prahaladha is the place where the
temple is built.

The most important
thing about this temple is that here we can't see the God's feet. It is said
that the feet is buried inside the earth. Lord Narayana came to rescue
Parahalada on Garuda and when they threw Parahalada Lord Narayana jumped from
Garuda to save him and in this process his feet went deep into the earth

Architecture

This temple combines
the orissan and Chalukyan features of temple construction, and and it attracts
scores of Pilgrims from both Andhrapadesh and Orissa.

It Contains a square
shine surmounted by a high tower, a portico in front with a smaller tower, a
square sixteen pillared mandapam facing
portico and and an enclosing verandah, all made of dark granite,

One of the pillars in
the MUKHAMANTAPA of temple is named KAPPAM STAMBHAM or the pillar of tribute, this pillar
was infused with only Godly and Miraculous powers. Since the devotes who aspire
some desires to get fulfilled put forward offerings (Kappam) to this pillar,
this pillar assumed the Name Kappastambham, at the bottom of this pillar
SanthanaGopala Swamy Image (Yanthram)
was installed.

On the
north side of the temple there is an excellent NATYAMANDAPAM
where KALYANOTSAVAM is performed. 96 pillars of
black stone support this mandapam, exquisitely carved and arranged in sixteen
rows of six each.

The Simhachalam
temple faces west unlike so many others which face east. An east-facing
entrance, according to religious belief, brings prosperity while a west-facing
one brings victory.

It is said that when Muslims during one of their invasions were
about to destroy and plunder the temple, a poet by name Kurmanatha implored
Lord Varaha Narasimha to save his temple and the Hindus. In response to his
fervent prayers, a huge swarm of copper hornets suddenly appeared and attacked
the invading army and drove them out of the city. The swarm disappeared behind
a hillock after driving out the Muslim armies. That hillock is now known as
Tummedala Metta (Tummedala=of hornet, Metta=hillock).

Fairs and festivals

Four major festivals are being celebrated every year which
were introduced and traditionally celebrated.

Chandanotsavam or Nijaroopa
Darshanam

The main deity inside
the temple sanctorum gives “NIJAROOPA DARSHAN”
(Holy appearance in true form) for only 12 hours in a year on Akshaya Trutiya
tidi, the rest of the time deity is covered with sandaiwood past. The darshan
described as Chandana yatra or Chandanotsavam falls every in vaisaka masa
(MAY).

Ekadasi in the first half of the lunar month of March or April and extends over a period of 5 days that is from the 11th day to the full moon day.

Narasimha Jayanti

The narasihma jayanti
festival, which occur on the Fourteenth day of the first half of month of
Vaisaka is celebrated as Birth day of the lord

Giripradikshana

Giripradhikshana (circumambulation) around the hill range
(40 km) from Hanumantha vaka/MVP colony to Simhachalam is done by
piligrims during the auspicious days. Crowds of elderly people/youth/children
are observed walking the 40 km stretch over night. They visit the temple
after the long journey and give their offerings to the deity.

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